How Efficacious Is Acupuncture?

What sort of efficacy have you seen with acupuncture in helping to alleviate chemo and radiation symptoms like nausea and fatigue?

Jun Mao, MD, MSCE, Family Medicine and Community Health Physician and Acupuncturist at PENN Medicine, responds:

One trial found that acupuncture reduced persistent chemotherapy-related fatigue by about 40%. Another randomized trial found that acupressure (self-massage on acupuncture points) are also effective in reducing fatigue related to cancer treatments. In my clinical experience, there is a need for integrating acupuncture with gradual increase in exercise for the best short and long term outcomes related to fatigue related to chemotherapy or radiation.